WASHINGTON
A wave of staff absences at major U.S. airports has intensified travel disruption across the country, as a prolonged federal government shutdown pushes aviation systems closer to breaking point. Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers, required to work without pay during the shutdown, have increasingly called in sick or taken leave, triggering what officials describe as a sharp drop in staffing at critical points of the nation’s air network.
The staffing shortfall has led to long security lines, delayed flights, and reduced operations at some of the busiest airports in the United States. Passengers at hubs including Newark, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles, and Washington-Dulles reported waiting hours to clear security, while airlines scrambled to adjust schedules amid uncertainty over available screening and air traffic control coverage.
TSA officers and Federal Aviation Administration controllers are classified as essential employees and must continue working even when government funding lapses. However, with paychecks halted, many workers have reported financial strain, forcing some to take sick leave or time off to manage personal obligations. Transportation officials have acknowledged a rise in unscheduled absences since the shutdown began, warning that the trend could worsen if funding is not restored.
The impact has gone beyond security checkpoints. At several airports, shortages of air traffic controllers have forced the FAA to slow the flow of aircraft to maintain safety. In some cases, flight capacity has been reduced by roughly 10 percent at major airports, leading to cascading delays nationwide. At smaller airports, temporary gaps in tower staffing have required flights to operate under limited procedures, adding further complications.
The Department of Transportation has emphasized that safety remains the top priority, but officials privately warn that the system is operating with little margin for error. Any further erosion in staffing could force temporary closures of checkpoints or additional limits on flight operations, especially during peak travel periods.
Airlines have urged travelers to arrive at airports earlier than usual, monitor flight status closely, and remain flexible as the shutdown continues. Industry groups have also pressed Congress and the White House to resolve the funding impasse, arguing that prolonged disruption risks lasting damage to public confidence in the aviation system.
The situation echoes previous shutdowns that exposed the vulnerability of essential services when workers are required to remain on the job without pay. Lawmakers from both parties have acknowledged the growing pressure but remain locked in negotiations, leaving no clear timeline for reopening the government.
As the shutdown drags on, the combination of unpaid labor, rising absences, and strained operations has turned U.S. airports into visible symbols of the broader standoff in Washington, with millions of travelers caught in the middle and uncertainty mounting with each passing day.
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